Friday, April 04, 2008

Have you noticed? There is a sign of life at 672 Broadway.After sitting dormant for years and sustaining the negative appearance of midtown, the dumpster is gone and the owners are finally doing something.

Nat Collins, a partner with 672 Broadway Partners LLC, purchased the building from the city in February 2004, with plans for a mix of apartments and commercial space.

I had pushed the planning department to engage the reverter clause on this building back in 2006, after showing no signs of renovation since the demolition. My intent was to offer the building to the LGBTQ Center which has since found a better home on Wall St. This would have been a huge undertaking to renovate from a non-profit perspective, but my pursuit got the current owner back to the table.

In his plea, Nat Collins stated: "Since the demolition job, some work on the exterior of the building, has been completed," he said. "Unfortunately, due to some delays in securing financing, the time allowed under the reverter clause as specified in the deed had expired."

In an old Freeman article: Mayor James Sottile, said “The city must convey a strong message that buyers of surplus city property must act swiftly to complete projects and get the properties back on the tax rolls”. He was so right!

So here we are in 2008, and we finally see some action. Granted it’s nothing spectacular, but keep in mind…Nat Collins is associated with “Sailor’s Cove”, the development on the Hudson River.....What impression does it give to us Councilmen when someone projects this fundamental image of workmanship and timetables on a future development project with 500 homes?